Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Pope's attacks on capitalism ruffle one wealthy donor

At least one wealthy donor in New York City is skittish about Pope Francis' comments about capitalism.Ken
Langone, the billionaire Roman Catholic who helped found Home Depot,
told CNBC he has heard grumbling about the Pope's comments about the
wealthy.

Langone is helping to run the New York Archdiocese's $180
million fundraising effort to restore St. Patrick's Cathedral in
Manhattan.

The billionaire investor and philanthropist, who gave
$200 million to New York University's medical center in 2008, told CNBC
an anonymous seven-figure donor felt slighted by the pope's recent
comments.

Langone has not been shy about sharing those opinions
with New York Archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan, telling him, "you get
more with honey than with vinegar."

Dolan told the financial
network in an interview on Monday he has heard from Langone that one
wealthy donor got the "sense that the Pope is less than enthusiastic
about us."

The Archbishop said he explained to Langone, "'Well,
Ken, that would be a misunderstanding of the Holy Father's message. The
Pope loves poor people. He also loves rich people.' ... So I said, 'Ken,
thanks for bringing it to my attention. We've gotta correct to make
sure this gentleman understands the Holy Father's message properly.'"

In
his first apostolic exhortation, "The Joy of the Gospel," the Pope took
on capitalism. He criticized an "idolatry of money" and "the inequality
that spawns violence."